If the message came from someone who isn’t one of your 1st degree connections, they either have a premium membership or you share a group with them. It also might have come from a group manager, because they have the capability of sending messages to everyone in the group.

If it came through your inbox, LinkedIn tells you how you are connected – and odds are it’s probably from someone you share a group with.

I would suggest going to the Learning Center (Go to the drop-down under More –> Learning Center). Click on “Customer Service” to the left. LinkedIn provides a search bar to see if you can find the answer to your question before you contact them. I typed in “spam emails” and got a list of answers, including a helpful one called “Possible Fraudulent Email.” Here’s the link: http://bit.ly/JXBzdK

Good luck Alison. Let me know if that helps.

I responded to the sender by coming out bluntly and saying I did not appreciate being spammed and to remove me from his list and I would do the same.

I then got a PERSONAL email from this person basically saying, ‘WHATTTTT FFFFF this is a NETWORKING business website wake up or get off. PERIOD’, followed by about 50 exclamation points.

How would you handle this? Where on LinkedIn can I find their policy about spammed, unsolicited promotions for someone’s business? I feel like contacting the company to get this person fired. But the whole company may be equally as ignorant and obnoxious.

I appreciate whatever advice you can provide. I am shocked and disgusted by this person’s behavior.

Thanks again for reading and commenting!

I use LinkedIn primarily as a means to connect with others in my industry in order to help each other out. I even have it posted in my profile that if you at least take the time to write something personal in your invitation to connect, I’ll likely accept your invitation, regardless of my personal preference with regard to a business relevance of being connected. It tells me that at least you’ve taken the time to review my profile, and get to know the person you’re connected with.

If this small amount of diligence isn’t applied when “networking”, then why bother? Just take your local telephone book and claim that the hundreds of thousands of people listed there are your “trusted network”.

Just one networker’s rant and viewpoint on the issue. YMMV.

Bob